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I am 4 years post-op RNY gastric bypass surgery. I had severe acid reflux [GERD] prior to surgery. That is why I went with gastric bypass vs. sleeve; because the sleeve will only make this condition worse. I have not had a problem with GERD since surgery. I used a PPI [proton-pump inhibitor] called Prilosec [Omeprazole] to periodically treat this condition prior to surgery. I also was prescribed this drug for the first year after surgery, in order to allow my stomach to heal. But after the year was up, I could tell the this condition was in remission. You indicated that ppi medication reducing life expectancy 25 percent. GERD is a dangerous disease. It can lead to Barrets' esophagus, and many other problems. According to the internet: GERD is most often not a life limiting disease. Approximately 23 million Americans have GERD. The chances of Barret's is pretty small and even then less then 10 percent with Barrets will develop esophageal cancer. An estimated 13,000 people in the US are diagnosed with EC each year, so it is pretty rare. Everyone starts off with a normal lower esophageal sphincter and no reflux. The severity of GERD probably correlates best with the degree of damage to the sphincter, but this is not easy to determine in practice. These are the four stages of GERD: Stage 1 – Mild GERD The majority of adults today have minor damage to their LES [lower esophageal sphincter] and experience mild GERD occasionally. In most cases they either tolerate occasional heartburn or use over-the-counter acid suppressive medications with the onset of symptoms. Because their symptoms are controlled quickly, easily, and inexpensively with these drugs, their quality of life is unaffected. Stage 2 –Moderate GERD Stage 2 GERD is more difficult to control with acid suppressive drugs and reflux is more frequently accompanied by higher intensity symptoms. Damage to the LES is more extensive compared to Stage 1. Many symptoms can be satisfactorily managed long-term with acid suppressive medications. Over-the-counter medications often provide inadequate relief, so prescription strength medications are necessary to manage symptoms. Stage 3 – Severe GERD Stage 3 GERD results in a substantially lower quality of life and is considered to be a very serious problem. Prescription level acid suppressive drugs do not control symptoms to the individual’s satisfaction and regurgitation is frequent. It is also likely that one or more of the complications associated with erosive GERD may be present. Stage 4 – Pre-cancerous condition or reflux induced esophageal cancer Stage 4 is the result of many years of severe reflux. 10-15% of long-term sufferers progress to this very advanced condition. Due to long-term reflux, the lining of the esophagus has been damaged, resulting in cellular changes. Interestingly, these changes may occur in some with only minimal symptoms. Stage 4 involves the development of a pre-cancerous condition called Barrett’s esophagus, or a more severe condition called dysplasia. These conditions are not cancers, but raise the risk of developing actual reflux-induced esophageal cancer. At this stage, typical GERD symptoms may also be accompanied by burning in the throat, chronic cough and hoarseness. Strictures, or a narrowing of the esophagus, can also occur which is characterized by the sensation that food is sticking in the esophagus. This same symptom can also be caused by esophageal cancer. So perhaps it is not the use of PPI that causes the lowered life expectancy but the damage from the disease itself. Anyways from my perspective there is treatment for this condition and that is RNY gastric bypass surgery.

Here's a recipe I love: 1/2 cup ricotta cheese 1/4 cup grated Parmesan 1 1/2 tsp egg substitute 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning Salt/Pepper to taste Mix all together and top with 1/4 cup marinara and 1/4 cup low fat mozzarella Bake in 450 oven for about 15 min or until bubbly I spread this out over 2 meals. It is my new favorite and about 10 g Protein per serving. I might add unflavored protein powder the next time to boost it. As far as the unjury unflavored, I only add 1 TBS to what ever I'm eating. It adds 5 g of protein and is tolerable, for me at least

My Journey 9/12/14 Next week it will have been a year – I was banded 9/19/13 but my journey didn’t start there… It was a long time coming that wake up moment when you realize nothing is going to change without some effort and commitment on your part to make it change. There wasn’t really any one ah ha moment but rather a number of smaller nudges that pushed me in the right direction... March of 2013 saw me at around 240 250lbs getting on a plane for work and later to see family… seat belt didn’t close very easily.. It shut but the flight was miserable. Then for the first time I was bigger in size then my brother we had always been similar in build – but he had managed to slim back down to the weight of his youth while I seemed set on tripling mine. Pictures that spring where posted on Facebook I couldn’t figure out who that woman was looking back. I wasn’t willing to acknowledge it was me. I was horrified, OMG, did I really look that bad. I normally shied away from the pictures oh there are one’s here and there over the years when I decided I had lost enough that I could be captured forever frozen the way I was… May brought my annual health check – not so good… another year of doing what I was doing and I’d be looking a medication for all sorts of things – blood pressure – cholesterol – diabetes things need to change… June rolled round and I got on the scale… 269.. It would get worse from there before it got better but seeing those numbers 269 literally took my breath away. I had been thinking on lap band for a while. I had listened to the commercials and gone on line to research but that day I made the call and scheduled my evaluation meeting knowing my insurance would cover the surgery if I decided to move forward. Right there during the meeting I went on and had my diagnostics done to see if I was healthy enough for surgery. On the day my primary care Dr signed a letter saying it was medically necessary for me to have this surgery my weight had bloomed to 282. It seemed that I had managed to rationalize that as I was going to have this surgery I could spend the last few weeks before indulging any way I wanted. My Dr. tried to talk me in to alternate surgery’s apparently not really a believer in the band. I told him it didn’t matter what he thought I was the one doing it. It took 3 wks to get approved during this time I decided that I needed to start living as if I was banded. I got the call on sep 3rd saying it was a yes and did I want to schedule the surgery for the following week. I panicked so it was pushed to the 19th to give my self-time to adjust it had all of a sudden become very real for me. The morning of the surgery I was a wreck imaging everything possible – said goodbye to my girls like I didn’t expect to see them again. I very nearly left the surgery office after getting there I was why do I need this surgery I can do it myself. But in reality I knew that I couldn’t although I had weighed myself that morning and it was 272 the first sizable drop in weight I had in years I wasn’t sure if I could keep it going by myself. Surgery went well recovery was – text book. All the right complaints thought I was dying from the gas but I survived and moved past it all. Every day since I have taken one day at a time, the fight has gone I no longer fight with the urge to eat enough for a family of 3. I still eat what I want but can now stop and actually put food down when I realize I don’t need it. I’m full I’m satisfied. Being satisfied is key – it isnt’ really healthy to eat until feeling full – to eat until satisfied is the point – it has taken me the best part of a year to truly understand. I’ve had many adjustments to my band even getting to the point it was too full. Spending my time in the bathroom because every meal was a fight just wasn’t the way I wanted to live not to mention the health risks. So I had it adjusted and removed some of the fluid. BEST decision ever.. After the first one off course of actually getting the band. Weight loss for the most part has been good. This morning I weigh 211.4 OMG… I don’t recall the last time I weighed this little. I still have a ways to go but i have a handle on it I know I will get there it will just take time. And now because I’m a much healthier time is something I have again. There have been many small victories this past year, wearing smaller clothes, fitting and being comfortable on an international flight, to curling up on the sofa with your legs tucked under – to even taking control even further and attending the circuit training class that I have wanted to do so all year. It’s brutal but I can do it is the point. There have been times if I’m honest where I have questioned what I have done, why am I not the size 12 I so want to be. I’m a 16 every one has self-doubts. I usually come here and post when one of those black clouds are hovering – this site and the wonderful members have been my foundation for success without them I’m not sure what I would be like.. YOU GUYS ROCK!! I’m hoping that by sharing someone who is on the fence about WLS whether it is the band, bypass or sleeve just know that there are many many of you out there with the same questions concerns. I’ve recently pledged to be a voice/representative for True Results where I had my surgery done. Yea you can look at it that it’s free advertisement for them if folks like me go out and share our journey but I look at it like this. If I can help change just one person’s life by sharing my experience than why not. I wish someone would have found me earlier in my journey – having someone to share it with that understands what you are going through makes such a difference. So if you’re in the phoenix area or even if you’re not and are considering weight loss surgery (WLS) and want to chat feel free to message me. If nothing else it is always great to talk and meet new people. To our journeys may they end where we want them to and may there be joy and laughter along the way.

New Progress Pics!! Well, here I am. Back to post what's going on with me at a little over four months post-op. At this point, I sort of have a love-hate relationship with my sleeve. I love my sleeve when people make comments to me such as yesterday, when one of my co-workers said to me: "Kourtney, you are going to blow away, you're getting so skinny!" I'm really not that skinny; I weighed 174.2 at my last weigh-in. But it was still nice to hear, and put a smile on my face. I have finally gotten to the point where people are really starting to notice the weight loss, which is interesting, because I've probably only lost 8-10 pounds since my last post, but literally only one person at work had commented on my weight loss at that time. Now it's like the flood gates have opened... One person commented that I've lost the weight so fast, to which I was able to accurately answer: "No, actually I haven't, just nobody noticed for a really long time!" But it must seem like it, because just in the last two weeks, I have probably had five or six people ask me if I had lost weight, how much, and how. This is where I have been fibbing. I kept my surgery a secret at work. I was working as a contractor, so had the luxury of just taking a month off between contracts with no explanation. So that's what I did. I took the month of May off, and didn't tell anyone what I was doing. Partly because I didn't want to go through the hassle of having to get cleared to come back to work by the Employee Health department due to the lifting restriction. But also partly because I work with someone who is very open about having had Gastric Bypass surgery, and people are not-so-nice about it behind her back, and even make comments to her like "Should you be eating that?" I didn't want that. So I've been telling people that I've lost 30 pounds (I've actually lost closer to 60). I've been telling them that I've been focusing on eating smaller portions, increasing protein, and that I've started running. All true. But at the same time I feel a little ashamed for lying. Worse still, I saw a friend a couple of weeks ago that I haven't seen since I moved to Florida. She was, of course wowed by my weight loss. And she is someone who has also struggled with her weight, someone who I vowed that I would tell about it when the time came. But then I chickened out! What's wrong with me??? I've actually thought about emailing her and telling her the truth, because the guilt is getting to me. So I sort of hate that my sleeve has made me into a liar. On the other hand, I love my sleeve when I get to go shopping in my closet! I love pulling out all of the clothes that haven't fit me in years, and wearing them! It's like getting brand new clothes. I also have a new obsession with Poshmark. It's a virtual consignment store. I've been selling all of my old size 16's that don't fit me anymore, and I've been buying size 10's. They don't quite fit yet, but they're close. Diet-wise there are still things I can't eat. Grilled fish, for example. I tried again the other night, and it just does not stay down. I ate it with some red-curry noodles (because tuna-noodle casserole had stayed down beautifully, so I thought there may be something to the fish-sauce-noodle combo) and then was really uncomfortable for about 30 minutes before it finally came back up. Interestingly, I tried the rice noodles the next day with chicken (because my husband had heated them up, and they smelled so good) and they came up again. So it very well may have been the very glutenous noodles. But I'm playing it safe, and avoiding all fish (except tuna-noodle casserole). So I hate that my sleeve has taken away some things that I used to really enjoy. But at the same time, I love that it has given me the control to just have a little bit of the things that I can tolerate, and that I still love. Self control is something I was severely lacking pre-sleeve, so I'm thrilled to have it. Overall, getting my sleeve is still the best $10,000 dollars I have ever spent.

I took me a while to finally come back to this site. Like many others i tried to focus on my weight loss and did not have the time to keep coming back. I am happy to say I've lost 175 Ibs. It was not easy. Changed everything about me. Food, exercise, friends, hobbies and many other things. When we decide to get a lap band. We never think or k ow the real consequences that will follow. Would i do it again? 10 out of 10 the answer is Yes. Its a azing what weight loss can change in a person. I am sure that all of us have a story to tell, but in my experience it was not easy. It was far from easy. I will update photos and perhaps a video of some of my workouts, food, and hobbies soon. This will give you a better idea of what i mean.

I met with the dr. on 12/26/19 and I have already received clearance from my primary dr. to have the gastric sleeve. I am currently making all of the necessary appointments my insurance and my surgeon requires. If all goes as planned, April 2020 is the goal for the surgery. I am nervous and excited, as I'm sure everyone was. I know this is going to be a huge change and an even bigger commitment, but I am ready to be able to run around, play laser tag, go zip lining and just me a million times more active with my children. I appreciate all the positive and encouraging feedback. Everyone here seems to be amazing and I look forward to being more involved in this wonderful community!!

Hi all, new to this app. I originally had sleeve in 2014 and lost almost 100lbs. I maintained my weight for a year, happy, healthy and exercising. I was diagnosed with Epilepsy and put on medication. I became very depressed and started packing the lbs back on. After several years of getting seizure meds regular and 10-15 lbs gain each year plus Covid.... I gained 65-70 back. I have my final appointment 4/14 hoping for surgery date ASAP. Can anyone share pros and cons from VSG to Bypass? Thanks Tiffany

Hi, I was banded on 6/3 by Dr. Tom Cerabona from Westchester Medical Center. He is he chief of Bariatric Surgery. He was wonderful. His office is right in the medical building near the Medical Center. His office staff treats you like you are VIP. Every 2 weeks there is a support group you can attend at 6pm for $10. There is one this Thursday. Dr. Cerabona also did my 16 1/2 yr old daughter on 7/8. We are both doing this journey together. When you find out how to change your ticker please let me know. I am getting very fustrated. Maybe I will see you at a support group. Lisa

Three years ago this time I was in the operating room and my friendship with Leonida, my band, was starting. During the first year I lost 52 kilos, which is something between 100 and 110 lbs, if I am not wrong.. During the second year I started losing part of my strong motivation and,by the end of the second year and the beginning of the third, I had gained back 10 kilos. Bariatric Pal is helping me come back on track, your approach to weight loss connected to wls is a bit different and many of the suggestions I have read here are becoming part of my life and behaviour. Thanks to all of you!!!

My first week I dropped 10 pounds. These past two weeks have been slow. I stalled for about a week and now at almost 4 weeks out I feel like it's picking back up. I'm down about 17 pounds.

I am two weeks post op today! I feel like October 3rd was a second birthday for me. On that day a new way of life was launched! Physically, I have been really fortunate I think, regarding healing. Surgery was uncomplicated, and recovery has gone fine. Not much pain. The only pain I have had regularly is in my deepest incision site. But that is finally almost gone! I didn't have much gas, and not a lot of nausea post-op. I am still on full liquids and trying to be creative so I don't go crazy. I have my protien shakes (which are begining to make me nauseaus), non fat sugar free yogurt, and strained soups- tomato basil is fantastic! I really needed something non-sweet tasting with protien so I took a carton of non-fat cottage cheese and I put it in the blender till it was thinned out to the consistancy of yogurt. Sounds disgusting right? It works for me, I eat 1/4 cup or less at a time and it helps the cravings for savory. I have had a couple days of extreme weakness. As in having to lay down for hours. I realized that it was not drinking enough of the Protein. Emotionally, it's been harder. I realize now I was a food addict. So, so many aspects of my life revolved around food (bad ones), pre-surgery. Now post surgery, I find that I have hours of time that I have to fill with new, healthy activites and hobbies. The biggest eye-opener for me 2 weeks out is how much time and mental attention that I used to give bad food. It was my life! So....reinventing now. So, this is my experience two weeks out! I see the surgeon and NUT Wednesday. I am hopeful to graduate to pureed or soft foods! Stats: HW: 239 9/23/16 SW: 219 10/3/16 CW: 211 10/17/16

You are human & so am I. I am scheduled for 4/23 & I am very nervous!! Could anybody tell me what is the level of soarness (on a scale of 1 to 10). Those of you already banded, were you terribly tender, soar, & in agonizing pain.That is MUCH of what I will be nervous about. We're all in this together. We are going to make it through, especially with the LORD's help.

My group wants me to eat 60–70mg of Protein per day for Life. Now having said that at 10 days out you are probable on mushies or some solid foods. Once I get to 35mg of food I am to stop one protein drink and at 70gm of protein stop the last protein drink. My drinks are only to be between meals when I start food. No more than 30mg of Protein at one time.

I"m now 20 weeks, and still working out. I noticed I have a little less endurance in me- but i'm still determined to work out and keep my weight in check. I've gained around 10 lbs, and I'm holding steady for now. . . I am a lot more tired, but I'm pushing myself to work out after work around 3-4 times per week. 30 minute workouts or so. My Dr said that during the 3rd trimester, i'll have to watch my heart rate more (and work out at a lower intensity)

I'm your height and body build. Several years ago I got down to the mid 150's, and I was pretty thin (6/8/S on top, 8/10 bottom). Not sure where I will end up this time, but I'm shooting for150. Good luck! Sent from my iPad using VST

I agree with @@Christinamo7 that even with their regain, both patients are probably FAR better off than they would have been without the surgery. I haven't watched the episode yet (have it on my DVR), but it sounds like Melissa is still half the weight she was pre-op. Had she not had the surgery, she probably wouldn't even still be alive 10 years later. Whether or not you regain a significant portion of the weight you lose is up to you. We say it over and over and over on these forums. WLS is not a magic bullet. It still requires you to be disciplined and diligent every day of your life.

well. yes, I would hope for better for them and us. however. from 600 to 300 is not most or all of her weight. and is still, I would think, a significant health benefit. For Ashley, 60 pounds is still way less than before. We have to stick with the moving our bodies and eating Protein first. We have to view this is a forever lifestyle change. I do have a friend who had bypass over 10 years ago, and while her weight fluctuates some, she has not gone back to being obese, ever. if anything she leans towards the dangerously low end. it all hinges on personal responsibility *if* I do gain it all back after 10 years, I will still see it as giving me a good 10 years I wouldn't have otherwise had. and, I would still have the tool to work it again.

I totally know what you're going through! I spent the first 10 days post op in such agony that I thought I'd made a huge mistake having this surgery. The gas pains in my shoulder and chest were utterly unbearable. On day 10, I heard about simethicone. It's found in some anti-gas products (like Mylanta and Maalox but check the label). Wikipedia says: "Simethicone is an anti-foaming agent that decreases the surface tension of gas bubbles, causing them to combine into larger bubbles in the stomach that can be passed more easily by burping. Simethicone does not reduce the quantity of gas in the digestive tract, it only increases the rate at which it exits the body, and is ineffective in the intestine." It can't hurt to try, right? It worked wonders for me!

I've done ok on the depro shot. I did gain some weight after I started the shots but it was more from being on Weight Watchers and then I got off the program and started back to bad eating habits than the actual shot. My Gyn told me I could gain 10 pounds on it though when I first started it. I have looked online and the only non hormal bc is the paragard IUD besides just over the counter prevention that isn't as reliable. I hope my gyn office gets back to me quick, my next shot is 4/19/12. I hope I can stay on the depro shot but I guess if to have this surgery I have to go off it I will. Thanks for all the suggestions/comments. I've done ok on the depro shot. I did gain some weight after I started the shots but it was more from being on Weight Watchers and then I got off the program and started back to bad eating habits than the actual shot. My Gyn told me I could gain 10 pounds on it though when I first started it. I have looked online and the only non hormal bc is the paragard IUD besides just over the counter prevention that isn't as reliable. I hope my gyn office gets back to me quick, my next shot is 4/19/12. I hope I can stay on the depro shot but I guess if to have this surgery I have to go off it I will. Thanks for all the suggestions/comments.

My husband had a bypass 10 years ago in August. He went from 300 pounds the day of surgery to 165 pounds in a little over a year later. He settled at 185-190. He quit smoking a couple years ago and gained 25 pounds, which he promptly got back off. Maintaining can be done, it just takes a lot of work and diligence on the person's part. Also, although he still can't eat close to the amount he could before, he can now eat pretty normal portions. That means he has to be even more careful about what he's eating. That's why I always tell people that weight loss surgery is a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Sooner than later it becomes completely up to us to maintain our weight when it becomes less effective. People who don't understand that are the ones we see regain some or all of their weight back.

I had the "loose" version of IBS prior to surgery. Now, I have not had any problems since about two weeks post-op. I am 2 1/2 months out now and have started taking fiber supplements. Prior to the sleeve, I would "go" about 20 times a day if I ate any kind of fiber or fresh veggies. Cooked cauliflower and broccoli were strictly off limits because my stomach would swell by 3 to 5 inches about 30 mins after eating it. Staying away from my trigger foods cut down my bathroom trips to about 10 a day and taking Acidophilous cut that by half again but they were always urgent and loose. Now I don't have that problem at all so I would say that yes, the surgey has "cured" my IBS even though my surgeon swears that there is no connection between the two.

I'm 10 months post-op....I will eat some fried foods, but not a lot. I find that they don't make me feel great. I now have a rule - if I'm going to eat it, it will be of high quality and taste really good. I find that a lot foods don't fall in that category. The other day we got a pizza from one of our favorite places - it has wonderful crust that I can tolerate 2-3 bites of, then I eat only the toppings. The pizza was sub-par - not of the usual taste and quality and it came to the table cold. I didn't eat any of it - it wasn't worth it.

I am 10 months out...no matter what I eat in the morning it goes straight through...diarrhea. Not in the afternoon or evening. Anyone else suffer this affliction. Protein drinks , yogurt, egg, anything. ANYONE.??? Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I did They said everything looked "normal". From my own research I believe the problem is Leptin. They dont know why some people have too much or too little but having surgery most certainly didn't "remove the hunger hormones" as is sometimes reported. I was absolutely starving the first few days right after surgery and remained starving the entire 10 day liquid diet post op. Most people say after a 2-3 days on a liquid diet you lose your hunger but for me it was torture. I'd give anything not to be plagued by constant hunger

I haven't blogged about my weight loss forever nor have I read posts. I am going in for my 3rd fill 2 years later and and excited! I was dragging feet for the first 10 months of surgery and then my husband and I split the sheets and my weight loss rocketed! I got rid of someone that made me very unhappy and made me happy.... amazing what that can do! So this past year I have lost over 100 lbs and am starting to slow. I am on the downhill slope of things but I have worked so hard. I have gained about 20 lbs., not from over eating its from undereating and getting carried away thinking that I can just go back to not eating but once a day.... The scale reality checked me the other day and I became panicked!!!! I am very aware of my weight and when I start gaining I feel awful, bloated, and think to myself that I can't gain any weight because.... I have gotten rid of the larger wardrobe and refuse to go buy bigger! Anyways... my little rant... Hope everyone is doing well and having great success! :cursing: